23rd European Film Awards Nominations

At the Seville European Film Festival the European Film Academy announced the nominations for the European Film Awards and here are the much awaited nominations.

Best European Film
Bal (Honey), Semih Kaplanoğlu, Turkey and Germany
Des Hommes et Des Dieux (Of Gods and Men), Xavier Beauvois, France
The Ghost Writer, Roman Polanski, France, Germany and UK
Lebanon, Samuel Maoz, Israel, Germany and UK
El Secreto de sus Ojos (The Secret in their Eyes), Juan José Campanella, Spain and Argentina
Soul Kitchen, Fatih Akin, Germany

European Director
Olivier Assayas for Carlos
Semih Kaplanoğlu for Bal (Honey)
Samuel Maoz for Lebanon
Roman Polanski for The Ghost Writer
Paolo Virzi for La Prima Cosa Bella (The First Beautiful Thing)

European Actress
Zrinka Cvitešić in Na Putu (On the Path)
Sibel Kekilli in Die Fremde (When We Leave)
Lesley Manville in Another Year
Sylvie Testud in Lourdes
Lotte Verbeek in Nothing Personal

European Actor
Jakob Cedergren in Submarino
Elio Germano in La Nostra Vita (Our Life)
Ewan McGregor in The Ghost Writer
George Pistereanu in Eu Cand Vreau sa Fluier, Fluier (If I Want to Whistle,
I Whistle)
Luis Tosar in Celda 211 (Cell 211)

European Cinematographer
Giora Bejach for Lebanon
Caroline Champetier for Des Hommes et Des Dieux (Of Gods and Men)
Pavel Kostomarov for Как я провел этим летом (How I Ended this Summer)
Barış Özbiçer for Bal (Honey)

European Screenwriter
Jorge Guerricaechevarría and Daniel Monzón for Celda 211 (Cell 211)
Robert Harris and Roman Polanski for The Ghost Writer
Samuel Maoz for Lebanon
Radu Mihaileanu for Le Concert (The Concert)

European Composer
Ales Brezina for Kawasakiho Ruze (Kawasaki’s Rose)
Pasquale Catalano for Mine Vaganti (Loose Cannons)
Alexandre Desplat for The Ghost Writer
Gary Yershon for Another Year

European Editor
Luc Barnier and Marion Monnier for Carlos
Arik Lahav-Leibovich for Lebanon
Hervé de Luze for The Ghost Writer

European Production Designer
Paola Bizzarri and Luis Ramirez for Io, Don Giiovanni (I, Don Giovanni)
Albrecht Konrad for The Ghost Writer
Markku Pätilä and Jaagup Roomet for Püha Tõnu kiusamine (The Temptation
of St. Tony)

To check the official announcement at the Academy site go here  and if you wish you can also go to the Awards site that’s here.

The awards ceremony will be in Tallinn, Estonia and we will be able to watch the live stream here on December 4th, 2010.

The more than 2,300 EFA members will be busy during almost one month voting for the winners and have to admit that I’m not pleased with some of the nominees, especially all the nominations The Ghost Writer got as I did find the movie with a style that is more American than European –but what do I know! (lol!). Somehow I find interesting that the Oscar Winner El Secreto de sus Ojos is nominated as best film, but the director is not; as a matter of fact only two nominated directors have their films nominated as best film and I hope one of the two win both awards -or at least one- as Lebanon is truly outstanding and obviously Bal has to be as good, if not superior, to the two previous Semih Kaplanoğlu’s trilogy films.

I have seen Fatih Akin’s Soul Kitchen and didn’t enjoyed much as it’s really different from his other movies, which does not make it bad or good, just enormously different oeuvre from one of my true favorite contemporary directors. Last, yes looking forward to watch Xavier Beauvois’s much honored film.

I’m amazed that Die Fredme was not nominated as best picture, still I know that has a nomination for best first time director, but film is so good that was hoping will also make it in both categories. So I’m looking forward to see what the EFA’s members will declare as the Best Film of 2010, a year that I consider to be excellent for European productions as in the long list there are too many good films that didn’t got a nomination but definitively seem (and are) extraordinary.

With many female directors in the long list I’m appalled that NONE got a nomination! Gosh the European glass ceiling was not broken this year and Feo Adalag’s honored film or Jessica Hausner’s excellent Lourdes –to name two- will continue to collect honors elsewhere as Academy members didn’t believe deserved a nomination. Sigh.

One category that always calls my attention beyond normal is the Best Actress and this year there are some outstanding performances I have seen and some that still have to watch. But from the ones I have seen my award absolutely goes to Lotte Verbeek in mesmerizing, beautiful and out-of-the-ordinary Nothing Personal. Haven’t seen most of the Best Actor films but soon will watch Submarino and I’m REALLY looking forward to watch the Romanian film that some critics’ and viewers are relating to A Prophet, not that I need the film to be compared/related to such a great film as most of you know my true love and fascination with contemporary Romanian cinema.

Last, let me comment about Cinematography. How I Ended this Summer has a breath taken cinematography, but Lebanon has such an innovative, different, and with very-successful use of this tech spec that I hope gets the award. Don’t doubt that Bal has to be as good as the two previous installments or that the French film will be good, but if innovation counts Lebanon will win in this category as well as in editing.

We will have to wait almost a month to learn what Academy members vote as the best in each category and I will be watching live for sure as this is year the race is interesting.

Last just want to remind those that live in European countries to NOT forget to vote for the People’s Choice Awards here.

Cheers!!!

5th International Rome Festival Award Winners

Yesterday this very young festival had its award ceremony and here are the winners.

Marc’Aurelio Jury Award for Best Film: Kill Me Please, Olias Barco, France and Belgium

Marc’Aurelio Grand Jury Award: Hævnen (In a Better World), Susanne Bier, Denmark and Sweden
Marc’Aurelio Special Jury Award: Poll (The Poll Diaries), Chris Kraus, Germany, Austria and Estonia

Marc’Aurelio Jury Award for Best Actress: the entire female cast of Las Buenas Hierbas (The Good Herbs), María Novaro, Mexico
Marc’Aurelio Jury Award for Best Actor: Toni Servillo in Una Vita Tranquilla (A Quiet Life), Claudio Cupellini, Italy, France and Germany

Marc’Aurelio Award for Emerging New Talents (given to best director or best actor/actress at his/her first film): Director Kaspar Munk for Hold Om Mig (Hold Me Tight), Denmark

Audience Award: Hævnen (In a Better World), Susanne Bier, Denmark and Sweden
Marc’Aurelio Acting Award: Julianne Moore.
Marc’Aurelio Award for Best Documentary in the Extra section: De Renmakers (Rainmakers), Floris-Jan Van Luyn, Netherlands (awesome visuals!)

Special Plaque of the President of the Italian Republic for the film which best emphasizes human and social values: Dog Sweat, Hossein Keshavaraz, Iran

To read the official announcement go here.

Collateral Awards

LARA Award for Best Italian Actor: Francesco Di Leva in Una Vita Tranquilla (A Quiet Life), Claudio Cupellini, Italy, France and Germany
Farfalla d’oro – Agiscuola Award: Kill Me Please, Olias Barco, France and Belgium
Politeama Catanzaro Award for Great Music for Cinema: Annette Focks for Poll (The Poll Diaries), Chris Kraus, Germany, Austria and Estonia
WWF Award for Biodiversity: De Renmakers (Rainmakers), Floris-Jan Van Luyn, Netherlands

To check other collateral Awards go here.

Alice Nella Citta (Kids films and kids jury)

Marc’Aurelio under 12-years-old Award: I Want to be a Soldier, Christian Molina, Spain and Italy
Marc’Aurelio over 12-years-old Award: Adem (Oxygen), Hans Van Nuffel, Belgium

I’m really curious and looking forward to watch Hævnen (In a Better World) that has been pleasing juries and audiences alike; but from trailer got very interested in Poll. Everything with Toni Servillo is must be seen for me and definitively I’m interested in seeing Las Buenas Hierbas.

So that's it for this year!

The Four-Faced Liar

An unexpected very good surprise as movie is well acted with a common story but with a good twist that keeps your attention thanks to what I call a very-smart script that somehow maybe because the New York City setting gave me the feeling of watching early Woody Allen! Yes, that’s how good the movie is IF you like talkies, hmm better, smart talkies.

Tells about five twenty-something that are trying to find themselves, well maybe four are the ones trying to find themselves as the fifth seems to be the only one that knows what she wants. Two best friends, Bridget and Trip meet the perfect couple Molly and Greg, as they get to know each other Bridget and Molly discover the one person that really and completely get/complement them.

I really enjoyed the movie and highly recommend it to many that read the blog and enjoy the lesbian interest genre, as even when is not the normal story told in the genre, I’m sure many will enjoy these characters that seem so real plus so common (almost like your next door neighbors) that becomes truly refreshing.

Honestly is a great discovery and have to admit that I enjoyed very much the emotions –confusion, attraction, broken hearts, and surely love that Marja Lewis Ryan (Bridget) and Emily Peck (Molly) transmit. Very emotional and very good, consequently is a must be seen movie! Do not skip this great film.

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @MOC

 
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